Opinion: The FCC Sets the Internet Free

Business World Columnist Holman Jenkins Jr. on why regulators are abandoning efforts to set prices for broadband cable providers. Photo: Getty Images

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... I ... I ... the Concerto I'm Mary Kissel ... it's the look in a caissons Commission said it was not pursue plans ... to set prices that broadband companies can charge their consumers a concept known as net neutrality ... business World columnist Holman Jenkins Junior joins us now home and ... why would the FCC even wanna set prices in the first place ... don't we want the market ... to encourage competition ... yet the FTC had enough time regulate the Internet like it's the utility late the all ... electric company for the phone company before it was the monopolized ... be a step back from that and I know they want to because they know it doesn't make sense to just ... chill investing in the Internet ... than net neutrality credit very upset about this under the new rules that the FTC time and coming out with ... these really are rules that benefit consumers are going to help find a way to a much bigger why we need to handle this huge deluge of videos Stepanek Rusty Nanna from Netflix in YouTube and the sorts of things ... critics are saying is there a minister rising much time they're ... all in all the president backed up FCC Chair Tom Wheeler ... he picked a very sophisticated knowledgeable guide to run the FTC will of God wanted stance these issues and is not swayed by feminists ... don't runner so I assume he's there for reason and it'll be interesting to see what happens ... Obama backs and because ... of the wheelers Democrat the other Democrats on the commission added one ... minus bacteria within a well ... well the broadband companies would probably like this because they can charge higher prices ... but what ... content providers home and companies like saying Netflix ... how are they going to react to having to pay for access pass to access ... so we're not clear where anybody stance on the face of the need for a moment you lobbyists who ... are reading and rage about this that that ... the big telecom companies are worried maybe just restrict their freedom to watch ... Netflix and people like that you too they haven't spoken in either the outline things the way they are now the is basically all broadband customers pay so you broadband customers can consume a huge amount of a Netflix video that might change in some subtle ways that probably will be ... lost on most customers in these rules go ahead ... is Netflix is real interest is in getting a bigger ... bill so they should line up behind is that they have short term ... both the interest for standing beside the ten year ... plan out because this FCC decision have implications for the time Warner Comcast merger ... well ... deal and suggests that the FCC does not look at this merger is a terrible daughter thing that some of the lobbyists on the other side do ... because that this rule would essentially suggested ... these companies are terrible monopolists coolness use their powerful positions to block competing at ... competing services you know they're infected skin the more freedom to run their networks as they see that ... the suggesting they may not be too worried about the merger ... gives them more freedom I